Emergency escape ladders



Dec. 12, 1961 Filed Aug. 10, 1959 E. A. MARRYATT 3,012,626

EMERGENCY ESCAPE LADDERS 4 Sheets-$heet 1 INV EN TOR. 64474 A. MAp Arrlei MW Dec. 12, 1961 Filed Aug. 10, 1959 E. A. MARRYATT EMERGENCY ESCAPELADDERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IIIW [I .ALIIUl'L INVENTOR. fmfL 14. NAQQYAT?BYMIMW ,4 rraemsy Dec. 12, 1961 E. A. MARRYATT 3,012,626

EMERGENCY ESCAPE LADDERS Filed Aug. 10, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 8 Tall-5v5 L ii HHHHWE" PHTHIH' INVENTOR. 54474 4. N499: 7'7

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AWO/PIYEY E. A. MARRYATT EMERGENCY ESCAPE LADDERS.

Dec. 12, 1961 Filed Aug. 10, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 5919c 14.MA4 QY4TT BY 0 15 47; W

i A TIOPNC'Y This invention relates to ladders in general and moreespecially to emergency escape ladders such as fire escapes and thelike.

Among the objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide animproved emergency escape ladder for use primarily by way of Windows,and the like, contemplating the use of a housing pivotally connected tothe inside of a building such as an office building, dwelling,institution, or the like and a flexible ladder permanently connected atone end to the housing to enable draping the housing across the windowsill or the like and suspending the ladder from the portion of thehousing disposed on the outside of the building in case of an emergency,which housing is constructed not only to facilitate ready and safeaccess to the. ladder when the ladder is so suspended on the outside ofa building, but also to eliminate danger of injury from the ladder whendraped across the window sill as an instance.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide animproved emergency escape ladder for use by way of windows or the likecontemplating a housing pivotally connected to the inside of a building,such as an ofiice building, dwelling, institution, or the like, and aflexible ladder permanently connected at one end of the housing toenable draping the housing across a window sill or the like andsuspending the ladder from the portion of the housing disposed on theoutside of the building in case of an emergency, which housing isprovided with a platform and handrails to facilitate ready and safeaccess to the ladder when so suspended on the outside of the building,which housing stores and conceals the ladder from View when not in useinside of the building and at the same time clears the window sill andoutside of the building when not in use.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide animproved emergency escape ladder for use by way of windows or the likecontemplating a housing pivotally connected to the inside of thebuilding and a flexible ladder permanently connected at one end of thehousing to enable draping the housing across the Window sill andsuspending the ladder from the portion of the housing disposed on theoutside of the building in case of an emergency, which housing isprovided with a platform and safety hand rails which hand rails can befolded up and disposed adjacent to the platform of the housing and inturn anchored erect extending from the platform of the housing intoposition to be engaged by the escapee.

These and other features, capabilities, and advantages of the inventionwill appear from the subjoined detailed description of specificembodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of one embodiment showing the ladder and housingin position in case of an emergency.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation on the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 when beingreturned to collapsed position.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 completelycollapsed.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 2 of an embodiment equippedwith a foldable ladder. FIG. 8 is a rear elevation on the line 88 ofFIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is-a side elevation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 incollapsed position.

' 4 24 and 25'.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 7 of a third embodimentequipped with a telescopic ladder.

FIG. 11 is a side elevation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 incollapsed position.

FIG. 12 is a perspective, FIG. 13 a plan view, and FIG. 14 a rearelevation, all partly broken away of still another embodiment.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged section partly broken away along the line 15-15of FIG. 12.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged section partly broken away along the line 1616 ofFIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged section of the portion shown in FIG. 15 in afolded or stored position.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 inclusive there is illustrated abuilding wall 1 having a window sill 2. On the inner face 3 of the wall1 just below the sill 2 there is secured. a longitudinally extendingbracket 4 having two outwardly and vertically extending tongues 5 and 6adjacent to the same and outwardly of the tongues 5 and 6 there areprovided two outwardly and horizontally extending steps 7 and 8respectively which have non-skid surfaces 9 and 10 respectively. To thetongues 5 and 6 there are operatively connected the arms 11 and 12respectively by means of the pins 13 and 14 respectively. The outer endsof the arms 11 and 12 are pivotally connected by the pins 15 and 16respectively to the extensions 17 and 18 respectively. The extensions 17and 18 are formed at the inner or lower end of the housing 19 which inthe present instance is provided with a bottom or end piece 20 having anopening 21 therein, a top wall 22 and a bottom wall 23 and two narrowside Walls The narrow side walls are provided with handles 26 extendingoutwardly therefrom. The outer face of the wide top wall 22 is alsoprovided with a nonskid surface.

The bottom Wall 23 is provided with an angle iron 27 having the web 28extending outwardly from the wall 23 to form an abutment for cooperationwith the shoulder 29 provided in the conventional window sill 2. Theouter or upper end of the housing 19 is provided with the cars 30 and 31extending from the narrow side Walls 24 and 25 to receive the cross rod34 in turn to receive the upper ends of the chain stiles 32 of theflexible ladder 33 which is preferably provided with rigid rungs 34.

The wide top wall 22 is preferably provided with two pairs of sockets 35and 36 along their sides, the pair3-5 to receive the arms 37 of theU-shaped handle bracket 38 and the pair 36 to receive the arms 39 of theU-shaped handle bracket, 40.

In some instances as shown in FIG. 2, a pair of anchoring rings 41 maybe secured to the brackets 42 anchored in the ground adjacent to thebuilding wall 1 to receive snap hooks 43 connected to the tensionsprings 44 which are connected to the lower ends of the chain stiles 33.Adjacent the window sill 2 on the inner face of the building wall 1there is preferably provided the'hook 45 to receive the U-shaped handles38 and 40, see FIG. 6, when the housing 19 is folded down alongside ofthe inner face of the building wall 1. .In this position the openings 46in the ends of the arms 11 and 12 are disposed above the steps 9 and 10in position to receive'the pins 47 to extend into the openings 48 formedin the angle irons 49 secured to the outwardly extending flanges 50 ofthe side walls 24 and 25 of the housing 19 asshown in FIG. 6.

In the use of the escape, that is in the case of an emergency, the pins47 extend through the openings 51 in the tongues 5 and 6 into theopenings 46 in the arms 11 and 12 as shownin FIG. 1'. x p In order tofacilitate access to the platform 52 of the housing 53' shown in FIGS.7, 8 and 9, a pair of downwardly extending bars 54 and 55 are providedpivotally connected to the side bars 56 and 57 of the foldable lad-Patented Dec. 12, 1961' or der 58. The bars 56 and 57 are pivotallyconnected to the side bars 59 by the hinges 60. These bars 56, 57 and 59in turn are provided with rungs 61. The bars 56, 57 and 59 of the ladder58 are extended in emergency use, see FIG. 7, where the lower ends ofthe side bars 59 engage the fioor 62 of the building and in storedposition, as shown in FIG. 9, the side bars 59 are folded alongside ofand inside of the side bars 56 and 57 between the building wall 1 andthe housing 53.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. and 11 the housing 63 has pivotallyconnected thereto the tubular bars 64 connected to one another by therungs 65 which bars 64 have telescopically connected thereto theextensions 66 which have feet 67 to engage the floor 68 when theextensions 66 are projected into extended position, that shown in FIG.10, when the housing 63 is positioned on the window sill 69. On theother hand, when the housing 63 is folded up inside of the building wall70, the extensions 66 are withdrawn into the tubular bars 64 and thebars 64 folded up alongside of the housing 63 between the building wall70 and the housing 63 as shown in FIG. 11.

Excellent results have been achieved when the housing 19, arms 11 and 12and rails 38 and 40 are composed of some suitable metal such as steel,aluminum, or the like and the stiles and rungs 34 of the ladder ofsteel.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 to 17 inclusive differs from theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 in part in that the pairs of sockets71, 72 and 73, 74 are spaced apart a greater distance than is the casewith the sockets and 36 with one of the sockets 71 and 73 of each pairdisposed forwardly of the handle 75 and the sockets 72 and 74 of eachpair disposed just forwardly of the rear end of the housing 76.Furthermore the safety rails 77 and 78 have substantially ellipticalupper sections 79 and 80 respectively preferably tubular inconformation, the elliptical section 79 being connected to the upperstraight sections 81 and 82 and the elliptical section 80 beingconnected to the upper straight sections 83 and 84.

The upper straight tubular sections 81, 82, 83 and 84 are in turnpivotally connected to the lower tubular sections 85, see FIGS. 15 and17 at 96, The lower tubular sections 85 of the lower portions of theirassociated lower tubular sections 81, 82, 83 and 84 are slidably ortelescopically mounted in the sockets 71, 72, 73 and 74 respectively toenable the elliptical sections 79 and 80 to lie flat on the platform 86of the housing 76 in collapsed or stored position when the lower tubularsections 85 are in their relatively raised position as shown in FIG. 17and in turn to anchor the elliptical sections 79 and 80 in the erectposition shown in FIG. 12 when the tubular sections 85 are disposed intheir relatively descended position on the lower ends of the tubularsections 81, 82, 83 and 84 and slid or telescoped into the tubularsections 85 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16.

To anchor the lower tubular sections 85 in their upper and lowerpositions there are provided the openings 87 and 88 in the tubularsections 71, 72, 73 and 74 to receive the projections or noses 89 formedat the upper ends of the levers 90 pivotally connected in the lower endsof the tubular sections 85 and provided with springs 91 to urge theprojections 89 outwardly and into the openings 87 or 88 when registeringwith the same.

To enable the sections 79 and 80 to be quickly moved from their storedposition on the platform 86, FIG. 13, into their erect position, thatshown in FIG. 12, the lower edges 92 of the projections 89 are inclinedto form cam faces to cooperate with the lower edges of the openings 87and deflect the levers 90 inwardly to clear the openings 87 and allowthe tubular sections 85 to be lowered. The springs 91 on the other handwill act on the levers 90 to cause the projections 89 immediately tosnap into the lower openings 88 when the projections 89 register withthe same. The upper edges 93 of the projections 89 will not serve ascams to cooperate with the upper edges of the openings 88 when againraising the sections 79 and so that the tubular sections 81, 82, 83 and84 clear the tubular sections to enable the sections 79 and 80 to befolded over upon the platform 86. However, since the emergency will thenhave disappeared, the slightly additional time required manually todepress the projections 89 and clear the openings 88 before raising thesections 79 and 80 will be immaterial and not objectionable. The severalparts of the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 12 to 17 with the exceptionof the chain ladders may of course also be composed of steel or aluminumand the ladders composed of steel to produce satisfactory results.

When the handle sections 79 and 80 are permanently connected to thehousing 76 as is the case in this embodiment, they can be used insteadof the handles 75 to manipulate the housing 76 into and out of emergencyposition.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to thedetails of construction without departing from the general spirit of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with the window sill of a building an inner wall, apair of arms pivotally connected to said inner wall and extendingdownwardly when out of use, a housing pivotally connected at one end tothe free ends of said arms and extending upwardly when out of use, aflexible ladder connected to the other end of said housing, said armsbeing folded against said housing and in turn against said inner wallwhen not in use and being extended with said housing draped across saidwindow sill in case of an emergency with said ladder extending down fromsaid housing along the outside of said building, said housing having avertically extending wall forming the inwardly facing wall of saidhousing in out of use position and forming a horizontally extendingplatform extending across said window sill for escapees in case of anemergency.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said housingconsists of a container open at one end to receive said ladder when notin use.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said housingcomprises a non-skid platform to receive escapees when the housing isdraped across said window sill, and removable handles secured to saidplatform adjacent said ladder to enable escapees to grip said handlesand let themselves down onto said ladder in case of an emergenc and inwhich said housing consists of a container open at one end to receivesaid ladder when not in use.

4. The combination with the window sill of a building having an innerwall, a pair of arms pivotally connected to said inner wall andextending downwardly in out of use position, a housing pivotallyconnected at one end to the free end of said arms and extending upwardlywhen not in use, a flexible ladder connected to the other end of saidhousing, said arms being folded against said housing and in turn againstsaid inner wall when not in use and being extended upwardly with saidhousing extended across said window sill in case of an emergency withsaid ladder suspended from said housing along the outside of saidbuilding, said housing having a platform positioned horizontally forreceiving escapees when said housing is extended across said window silland positioned vertically when not in use, and steps adjacent said armsto facilitate escapees climbing onto said platform in case of anemergency.

5. In an emergency escape for a building, having a window sill, thecombination with arms pivotally connected to the inside of the buildingadjacent the window sill and extending downwardly when not in use, ahousing pivotally connected at one end to the free ends of said arms, aflexible ladder connected to the other end of said housing, said armsbeing folded against the inner wall of the building when not in use andbeing extended with said housing extending across the window sill incase of an emergency with said ladder extending down from said housingalong the outside of the building, a platform on said housing extendinghorizontally to receive escapees when said housing is extended acrossthe window sill, and handles secured to said housing, said handlesconsisting of upper gripping sections, lower sections pivotallyconnected at their upper ends to said upper gripping sections, socketsin said housing to receive said lower sections and parts of said uppersections, and means for anchoring said lower sections in descended oremergency position and in raised or stored position where said uppersections are folded over onto said platform.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSHerbster Sept. 20, 1870 Anthony Nov. 20, 1883 Sponholz Dec. 15, 1908Banyovits Aug. 29, 1916 Dwork Feb. 27, 1923 Lamb Nov. 15, 1938 BellamyNov. 4, 1952 Brown Apr. 19, 1955

